[S60guy2015.5]

For anyone with an out of warranty Volvo looking for Volvo Goodwill assistance, please read:

My 2015.5 s60 T5 with 52k miles had the tensioner fail, stripping pieces off the serpentine belt and into the timing belt causing a catastrophic failure. After being told it could be $17,000 for an engine replacement, I contacted Volvo customer care. Here is the run down:
7/6/2020 Customer care contacted and asked about “Goodwill” due to having only 52k miles and being 5 yrs old. Was told they would contact me within 7 days, but I should call back in 3 days because it doesn’t usually take that long.
7/13/2020 Called customer care and was told someone would reach out to me shortly. (My agent wasn’t available)
7/15/2020 Called customer care and was told upper management was the holdup but someone would contact me soon. (My agent wasn’t available)
7/16/2020 Called customer care and was told my agent would call me back with an update (I received no call).
7/17/2020 Called customer care and was told there were no updates as of today, but an update to my account was “scheduled for 2 days from now” (that would be Sunday in case you don’t have your calendars handy). I then called my agent and left a message to call me as soon as she was able.
7/19/2020 Agent called back to say the first claim was denied on 7/6 (day 1 of this story). She told me that she submitted an appeal on 7/6 as well and would get back to me as soon as a decision was made.
7/30/2020 Today...I have heard nothing from Volvo. (24 days after first contact with Volvo)

This is unfortunate because I was catching the Volvo bug and would have continued to talk up their cars while driving them. Having a blown engine at 52k miles is unacceptable, and this issue should be addressed for those of us with the problem and those who will have it. Having an actual thread dedicated to this topic is proof enough that it is a real issue, and my vehicle is currently at a private garage awaiting repairs next to 2 other Volvo’s with the EXACT SAME PROBLEM. I could not recommend Volvo to anyone and feel insulted by their lack of communication through this process.

 

[MyVolvoS60]

I'll help you cut through the red tape. I'm just that nice....Write the same email to each person, but change the salutations and email address. Use both email addresses for Mr. Casey. This will only work if this is a Volvo purchased from a Volvo Dealership and Exclusively serviced with Volvo. Modify the letter as you see fit. I don't know your circumstances.

Dear Mr. Doering (Mr. Casey),

I am the owner of a 2015.5 Volvo S60 purchased from X dealer on X date (New?) or (Demo/Loaner CPO). I have owned prior Volvos and am very loyal to the brand (List them if purchased from a Volvo Dealer and at which dealer) or this is my first Volvo. My current 2015.5 S60 has been exclusively serviced with Volvo at X dealer / Dealers. I was extremely happy with the vehicle until reaching 52,000 miles. At which time, the tensioner failed, stripping pieces off the serpentine belt and into the timing belt, causing a catastrophic failure.

I reached out to customer care about my concerns, but am not getting a straight answer. Therefore, I hope that by reaching out to your office, we can get this issue addressed. Being that my vehicle is only at 52,000 miles, and was exclusively serviced by Volvo, I would like to respectfully ask that Volvo consider offering a good will replacement of the engine Attached, you will find a copy of all my Volvo service records and the dealer's explanation of what occurred with my engine. Thank you for your help.

Regards,

Your Name
Phone Number

Primary Contact
Bill Casey
Operations Manager, Customer Care Center
wcasey@volvoforlife.com
william.casey@volvocars.com

Secondary Contact
Scott Doering
Vice President, Customer Service
sdoering@volvoforlife.com

 

[Tech]

Love when people join just to post stuff like this, hoping to use it as some sort of leverage. Always makes me skeptical.

 

[MyVolvoS60]

Love when people join just to post stuff like this, hoping to use it as some sort of leverage. Always makes me skeptical.

I don't read too deep into it. Maybe he googled the problem and found others suffered similar failures via threads from Swedespeed. Who knows. Either way, if I were in his shoes, I'd be asking for help, too.

 

[ecoDrive]

I don't read too deep into it. Maybe he googled the problem and found others suffered similar failures via threads from Swedespeed. Who knows. Either way, if I were in his shoes, I'd be asking for help, too.

Yeah, me too. Crappy design in the first place to allow a fan belt take out an engine.

 

[MyVolvoS60]

Yeah, me too. Crappy design in the first place to allow a fan belt take out an engine.

Though OP seems to have left just as quick as he came here. I gave him information. Either way, hope he gets the situation resolved.

 

[S60guy2015.5]

Though OP seems to have left just as quick as he came here. I gave him information. Either way, hope he gets the situation resolved.

Still here with no official response yet. I appreciate your advice and prewritten letters, however I purchased this vehicle from a non-Volvo dealer and have serviced regularly it with my local mechanic. Two strikes there. Currently it is at an independent Volvo specialist's shop awaiting repairs.

I enjoy reading forums of all types, and have been here many times before as a consumer with no reason to post until now. Not for leverage, just information that I would have appreciated before buying and while dealing with this current situation.

 

[MyVolvoS60]

Still here with no official response yet. I appreciate your advice and prewritten letters, however I purchased this vehicle from a non-Volvo dealer and have serviced regularly it with my local mechanic. Two strikes there. Currently it is at an independent Volvo specialist's shop awaiting repairs.

I enjoy reading forums of all types, and have been here many times before as a consumer with no reason to post until now. Not for leverage, just information that I would have appreciated before buying and while dealing with this current situation.

Ugh. Well I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but Volvo isn't going to assist you. There's pretty much next to no chance with those 2 BIG STRIKES.

1. Non Volvo Purchasing Dealer
2. No Volvo Dealership Service Track Record.

Volvo is going to state, and rightfully so, they can't track vehicle's maintenance and anything could have happened in between. You can still try to send off letter tailored to your story, but I would be realistic in that the answer is 99% "No Can Do".

If it were me, I wouldn't fix the car, and move on. Part it out to recover as much of your loss as possible.

 

[Sysyphus61]

Obviously $17k for a new engine is not a financially viable repair, and I’m agreeing that you have slim to no chance of any help from Volvo given the history, but rather than scrapping what presumably is still otherwise a perfectly good car I’d suggest you should be talking to your local mechanic about a used/reconditioned engine replacement, which can be had for a small fraction of the new price.

 

[Wayne T5]

That's the best advice at this point. Here is an engine from a quick review of ebaymotors for $2.5k that you can have your indie mechanic install for you to salvage something from this situation.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/2017-VOLVO...ine:2.0L+1969CC+l4+GAS+DOHC+Turbocharged&hash=item23d2639b0d:g:n60AAOSw33FeX8sK

 

[DFrantz]

Trying to save a dime with non CPO and no warranty is risky. Engine is about the worst case scenario, but it can happen. Most repairs cost close to the price of a warranty, and certainly the amount that it costs to step up to a CPO vs just a used car. Sounds like it might have been driven after the initial failure a bit too? That would be a 3rd strike. I agree with the notion of getting a salvage motor put in, and then trading in for a CPO... it doesn't matter if it's another Volvo or a Toyota... don't cheap out on late model cars, get a CPO from whatever brand you choose. IMO the best alternative is to own two older vehicles that you can DIY... always keeping one on the road while making needed repairs to the other.

 

[Sysyphus61]

If it was only a dime we were saving we’d all be buying CPO’s

 

[leftoverture]

That's the best advice at this point. Here is an engine from a quick review of ebaymotors for $2.5k that you can have your indie mechanic install for you to salvage something from this situation.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/2017-VOLVO...ine:2.0L+1969CC+l4+GAS+DOHC+Turbocharged&hash=item23d2639b0d:g:n60AAOSw33FeX8sK

That seems like a good price for a 2017 with those miles. Nice option for the OP.

 

[MyVolvoS60]

That's the best advice at this point. Here is an engine from a quick review of ebaymotors for $2.5k that you can have your indie mechanic install for you to salvage something from this situation.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/2017-VOLVO...ine:2.0L+1969CC+l4+GAS+DOHC+Turbocharged&hash=item23d2639b0d:g:n60AAOSw33FeX8sK

You're forgetting it's not just the $2.5K for a refurbished engine. Plus another ~$1500 for a mechanic to drop it in and install. So he's looking at 4 Grand. Depending on what he paid for the car he could maybe salvage some value. Really depends if where he attempts to trade pays close attention and notices the engine doesn't match the vin. Not sure specs on car he bought (FWD, AWD, Platinum, or what options), but let's assign a book value of $13,500. My 15.5 FWD with Convenience , BLIS, Heated Seats with 72k comes in about $12,500 private sale in good value. Not including I still have CPO and Prepaid Maintenance left. So actual book is 12.5k.

But that's private sale. Dealer trade is around $9K. So if OP drops in about $4k and can find a dealer to offload it upon, he might walk away with 4 or 5K if lucky. Again, depends upon if dealer pays attention or not and looks at car's history.

 

[leftoverture]

Again, depends upon if dealer pays attention or not and looks at car's history.

Not sure a dealer would even know unless the shop doing the work reports it to Carfax/Autocheck. Also not sure they would care either, if you bring them a car in good working condition.

 

[Wayne T5]

You're forgetting it's not just the $2.5K for a refurbished engine. Plus another ~$1500 for a mechanic to drop it in and install. So he's looking at 4 Grand. Depending on what he paid for the car he could maybe salvage some value. Really depends if where he attempts to trade pays close attention and notices the engine doesn't match the vin. Not sure specs on car he bought (FWD, AWD, Platinum, or what options), but let's assign a book value of $13,500. My 15.5 FWD with Convenience , BLIS, Heated Seats with 72k comes in about $12,500 private sale in good value. Not including I still have CPO and Prepaid Maintenance left. So actual book is 12.5k.

But that's private sale. Dealer trade is around $9K. So if OP drops in about $4k and can find a dealer to offload it upon, he might walk away with 4 or 5K if lucky. Again, depends upon if dealer pays attention or not and looks at car's history.

No, I'm not forgetting installation costs.

$4-5k to replace the engine still sounds like a better option than $17k to me.

It would be silly to put all this money into a car and then turn around and trade it but that's just my opinion.

 

[MyVolvoS60]

No, I'm not forgetting installation costs.

$4-5k to replace the engine still sounds like a better option than $17k to me.

It would be silly to put all this money into a car and then turn around and trade it but that's just my opinion.

That's my point. It really depends how much he spent on the car and if he wants to be saddled with more debt. Let's say the car had a purchase price of $12,500. Clearly a $17,000 engine isn't worth the investment. So he gets a rebuilt one and has it installed for $5k. OP is now into the car for $17,500.

So there lies the question, is it better to try to offload the car as a trade in. Maybe get $8,000 out of it. If dealer doesn't see engine deal then maybe $9k. OP walks away having lost $8,500 vs purchase price of $12,500. Or being in the hole for $17,500 for the $12,500 purchase price + $5k engine.

All depends on OP's outlook and what he wants done. Other option, part out the car, recover as much as you can, and go elsewhere.

 

[MyVolvoS60]

Not sure a dealer would even know unless the shop doing the work reports it to Carfax/Autocheck. Also not sure they would care either, if you bring them a car in good working condition.

1. An independent dealer may or may not report to Carfax / Autocheck. Some do some don't.
2. Guess it depends on where and whom he trades it in. I imagine the car would get inspected before a dealer accepts the trade.

So it's hard to say one way or another.

 

[mamba42]

The other thing with this is that I think the OP had the five cylinder engine. So the one listed probably wouldn't work for them anyway, but I'd definitely say get a used engine since that route will be much less expensive and you will end up with a running car.

 

[Sysyphus61]

A lot depends too on where the OP stands financially with the car - if he’s got four years of payments left on it that’s a lot different picture than if he owns it outright...

Also if he can afford to buy another car and has the time, space, ability and patience to part it out himself he can probably make most if not all of his money back, possibly even a profit, eventually...